Team
SUSAN H. HARMON
Founding Attorney
Susan H. Harmon has been working full time in the legal field since 1985. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in 1984 then went on to complete her Paralegal Certification from the National Center for Paralegal Training in 1985. She then spent the next 25 years working in the legal field in Atlanta, Georgia and Knoxville, Tennessee gaining valuable experience in a wide variety of practice areas with a wider variety of people.
In 2005 she took on her toughest opponent, Breast Cancer. After beating it, in a humiliating loss, she decided it was time to focus on the old Bucket List and tackle a few other giants. She wasted no time and enrolled in Lincoln Memorial’s Duncan School of Law. In 2013 she graduated with LMU’s inaugural class, was admitted to the Tennessee Bar, and instantly got to work in Sevier County.
In 2016, following the death of a friend and the suggestion of an acquaintance, she co-founded TriStar Legal Services. It was uncharted waters in this area, but she believed in helping others and was excited to be able to use her law degree to do so in a new and exciting way. Unbeknownst to her, it would be the most rewarding career choice she had ever made.
When Susan is not in the courtroom (or office) she likes walking (like for fitness), being a super fun Grandma, and soaking in some sun at the beach.
If you are ever wanting to really win her over, her favorite drink is Dr. Pepper.
SARA K. PIERCE
Executive Director
Co-Founder
Sara has spent her entire working life in the non-profit arena. She earned both her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. She then attended the Institute for Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary to earn a certification in Youth and Theology. She spent 13 years directing in youth and family ministry programs for large churches and training other youth pastors in specific outreach programs.
In 2015 she decided to take a sabbatical from church work to focus a bit more on the community and how she could serve others most effectively. She offered to help a friend who was needing some help at his law firm. This unexpectedly introduced her to a variety of needs.
In 2016, when her friend passed away, she decided to take a leap of faith and ask a couple of ladies she hardly knew if they would be interested in working for a non-profit legal service. When neither lady ran away screaming, she convinced them to team up and start TriStar Legal Services. Now, here she is today, managing the business side of a firm. She also gets to use her ministry background to spend time talking with clients about the hard stuff…which she loves doing.
In her spare time, she likes watering her flowers and giving them pep talks, watching all the true crime shows, bargain hunting, and traveling to anywhere.
If you really want to make a fast friend, tell her you, also, love the Red Sox.
PATRICK RAMEY
Administrative Assistant
Patrick came to TriStar as a volunteer. He spent more than a year helping in the office (answering the phones and greeting clients for zero dollars) before they had the budget to hire him. The only reason they can fathom he volunteered so long was because he believed in the firm’s purpose. He had time to spare after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which resulted in him having to close his contracting business.
Since that time, he’s been hired on as a part of the team and the rest of the staff couldn’t be more relieved. He fields almost all the phone calls, notarizes documents, and learns every person who comes through the door by name. He also delivers lunches and fixes all the things that break and patches all the holes Sara leaves in the walls when she moves around pictures over and over again.
At home he likes to do a little wood-working, help friends and family with home projects, and dream about the hot rods his wife won’t agree to let him buy.
If you want to make him instantly chatty, ask him about the little bobtail kitten his wife just had to have.